writing a nmbca proposal - united states fish and …€¢ long-term conservation strategies (10...
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Program Conserving America’s Birds Aerial view of the advancing agricultural front in the Tarabillas Valley, Chihuahua. /
Ken Stinnett
Writing a NMBCA Proposal
Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act
2016 North American Ornithological Conference August 18, 2016, Washington DC
Andrea Grosse and Guy Foulks
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Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
Disclaimer
This PowerPoint was part of a workshop that included additional oral explanations. What you see here is a program orientation valid in August 2016. The NMBCA instructions and other guidance available on the NMBCA website, which are updated occasionally, take precedence over anything shown here. Note also that the tables shown are merely suggestions, included for illustration during the accompanying oral explanation. Please see the last slide for URL and contact information.
Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
NMBCA Overview
• Grants to U.S., Canada, Latin America, Caribbean • Population Management • Habitat Protection &
Management • Research, Monitoring • Law Enforcement • Outreach, Education
• At least 75% $ outside U.S. • 3:1 Match$:Grant$
Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act
Pine-Oak Forest in Honduras. / Alberto Martínez Fernández
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Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
15 Years of NMBCA
• 510 projects • 36 countries • >$58M in grants • >$221M in match • Match from 1,100+ partners • 3.8 to 1 (match:grant) • Benefited over 4.2M acres
2002 - 2016
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Rio Aros and the Northern Jaguar Reserve. / Aaron Flesch
Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
Typical NMBCA projects
• Deliver on-the-ground conservation • Habitat protection: land acquisition, park protection • Habitat Restoration and management
• Build capacity and awareness • Help communities manage natural resources • Education, outreach, and training
• Increase conservation knowledge • Research to improve habitat and species management • Better Management Practices
• Work with local communities • Catalyze international partnerships
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Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
Typical Grant Year
• Funds requested: $8-10M • Funds available: $3.5-5M • 65-90 Proposals received • 27-35 Projects selected • 16-20 Countries:
• Most grants to LAC (or partial U.S./CA)
• Some grants exclusively to U.S./Canada
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Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
Typical Regional Distribution
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Canada 4% Caribbean
8%
Central America
18%
South America
19%
Mexico 24%
USA 27%
# Grants
Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
Activity distribution
Law Enforcement
Fee Acquired Easement Acquired Enhancement
Conservation /Management
Agreements
Research or Monitoring
Habitat Management
Restoration
Partnerships Strat. Planning
Outreach, Education, or
Training
Resource Management
Planning
Other
# Grants
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Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
Proposal Review • 17 person review team • Scores - 13 criteria
• Priority birds, other species • Location (bird initiatives priorities) • Conservation value to birds • Partnerships, local engagement • Proposal preparation
• Geographic distribution • Organizational diversity and capacity • Conservation need and impact • Professional judgment • Consensus recommendation to FWS Director
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Bird Friendly Grasslands in the Southern Cone
Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
IMPACT Program Identifying Measurable Performance and Achieving Conservation Targets
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• Long-term conservation strategies (10 years) • Measurable population improvements (at
feasible scales) • Fill crucial information gaps impeding
conservation • “Move the conservation needle” for high-
priority species
Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
IMPACT Program Projects
• 25-30% of grant funds
• 33 Projects since 2012
• 13 Species
• Breeding, stopover and wintering
• Desired Outcomes • ↑ Abundance • ↑ Habitat • ↑ Knowledge • ↓ Threat
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Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
IMPACT Program
• Unselected projects compete in standard program
• Research projects into limiting factors • Measurable biological objectives for all
projects
• Outputs → desired outcomes
• Include costs for outcome evaluation
Long-billed Curlew
Credits: Gregory Breese, Mdf, Peter Wilton, Dominic Sherony
Hudsonian Godwit
Cerulean Warbler Red Knot 12
Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
Program Timeline
• June: DUNS, SAM, NCAGE • July: submit pre-proposal • August: new call for proposals • Late October- Early November: submit proposal • November – February: eligibility, review, clarifications • March – May: clarifications, approval • Migratory Bird Day, May: announcement • May – August: risk assessment, internal procedures,
ASAP, clearances, awards
Your actions
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Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
Writing your Proposal
• Start in June! • Understand instructions and standards
• https://www.fws.gov/birds/grants/neotropical-migratory-bird-conservation-act/how-to-apply.php • https://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/pdf/grants/neograntLAC.pdf
• Coordinate with partners • Clarify
• Story: context, threats • Objectives • Measurable Outcomes • Outputs, Deliverables
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Summer Tanager. Guy Foulks.
Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Bennett Hennesy/Armonia
Match Activities
• $3:$1 • Integrated
• Treated like grant-funded activities • Documentation
• Cash vs. In-kind • Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands (In-kind is eligible) • "Cash" = recipient's/partner’s cash outlay spent after proposal
received date • In-kind Contributions = two years prior to proposal date
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Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
Cover Page 1 Proposal Elements
a. Project title: (short & descriptive & unique) b. Project Area: Green Mountains in Quebec, Canada d. Project Officer (only one): Ms. Claudia Sanchez, CEO m. Duration of proposed project (1 or 2 years only): 2 p. Project summary: (concise; objectives; outputs) q. Eligible activities: (i) Protection: 500 acres acquired in fee + 500 acres acquired as easements. USD$100,500 grant + USD$1,000,900 match. (v) Outreach: capacity building of 15 local conservation NGOs. USD$33,800 grant + USD$58,290 match. 16
Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
Cover Page 2 Proposal Elements
r. Total funding requested from NMBCA (in USA dollars): USD$88,888 s. Total matching funds (in USA dollars): 3x USD$ t. Total non-matching funds (in USA dollars): u. List of all partners contributing match and their respective contribution amounts: You!, USD$...; Fondation de la Faune du Québec, USD$... v. List of top 10-15 Neotropical migratory birds to benefit from the project: Peregrine Falcon, …(see list!)
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Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
Activities
• Law enforcement: patrolling park boundaries… • Research, monitoring • Outreach, education • Protection/management of NMB populations • Protection of habitat = acquiring land, legal documents
• fee acquisition, easement, conservation agreement • include acres/hectares (specify if these are classified under more
than one category)
• Maintenance, management, enhancement or restoration of NMB habitat = working on-the-ground • cattle fences, planting trees… • include acres/hectares
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Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
Tract Table Example, for illustration only
Tract name
Location Map key
Owner Hectares
Activities Funding Documentation
Pretty Ranch
Near Nogales, AZ, USA
1a Arizona Land Trust
555 Easement 555 ha.; restoration 111 ha.
$11,111 cash match, $22,222 grant
Recorded Easement; photos, maps of restoration
Rancho Seco
Near Hermosillo, MX
2b Ejido Seco
6,666 Restoration 333 ha.
$22,222 grant
Report to ejido
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Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
Budget Table Example, for illustration only
• “Cost Principles” (2 CFR Part 200) • http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-
idx?SID=c1fc24966b9f528dae0284404ee0e422&mc=true&node=sp2.1.200.e&rgn=div6
• Separate by activity, country, partner, cash/in-kind
• Equipment: non-expendable property, $5,000+
• Ineligible: • Contingencies • Salaries or travel for permanent, full-
time, U.S. Federal employees • Unused financing, product sales, or other
unused funds
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Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
Budget Elements Example, for illustration only
Activity Calculation, details NMBCA Grantee:
cash Partner A: cash
Partner A: in kind
Partner B: in kind
Match Total
Program income
RESTORATION (Mexico)
Planting trees 4 laborers x $3/hr x 50 hours. 500 hectares. USD USD USD USD USD USD
*additive method
Lodging 1 coordinator x 8 nights x $20/night
Subtotal Restoration (See footnote 1)
MONITORING (Mexico) Monitoring salaries
Coordinator $1,000/month x 24 months x 10%
Monitoring travel
Gas, oil for truck $0.10/mile x 500 miles
Equipment, Supplies 2 binoculars, 1 laptop
Subtotal Monitoring
Subtotal: All activities
OVERHEAD 10%
TOTAL Subtotal cash match Match ratio 3.9:1 21
Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
Beekeeping as an economic incentive to bird conservation in Bolivia. Image by Fundacion Natura
Evaluation Table
• Objectives • Outputs, deliverables
• Grant and match funded activities • Completed by end of grant period
• Outcomes • Indicators of success • Baseline • How will you measure them?
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Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
Evaluation Table Elements Example, for illustration only
Objective Outcome Outputs/Deliverables …by end of grant period!
Improve quality of non-breeding site
Quantified, measurable improvement in habitat quality.
New easement of 100 acres, recorded with county. Habitat management plan adopted by municipality. Easement managed by municipality Reforestation (100,000 trees important to birds planted)
Build conservation constituencies
Landowners and officials collaborate and support sustainable land management
5 landowners and 3 officials from Ministry of Agriculture participate in technical workshop. 4 landowners sign up to participate in certification program. Workshop report to Ministry produced by Partner A.
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Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
Match Letters “Partner Contribution Statements”
• Commitment! • What, when, how calculated? • In-kind, cash? • Non-Federal (2x) • U.S. dollars, conversion rate • $ = cover page, budget • Receipts from partner match?
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Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
Avoiding Common Errors (1)
• Clear objectives, measurable outcomes, specific deliverables
• Tables: Budget, Evaluation, Tract • Match
• Confirmed, letters complete, not federal, USD • In-kind contributions itemized, calculations
• Describe prior performance • Long-term sustainability • Consulted with wildlife management authorities
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Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
Avoiding Common Errors (2)
• Habitat acquired, restored, enhanced, managed • Polygons, acres/hectares, tract name, owner
• Land acquisition • USA: NOGR*, documentation • Outside USA: local title holder, government
awareness letter
• Edit, proofread, recalculate • $, acres/hectares: cover sheet, narrative,
budget, match letters
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Calidris
* Notice of Grant Requirement
Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
More Competitive Proposals Priorities in larger context
• Birds of Conservation Concern • Watch list species • https://www.fws.gov/birds/grants/neotropical-migratory-bird-conservation-act/nmbca-bird-list.php
• Priorities identified in a plan • Conservation Business Plans/ Investment Strategies • International/national / regional/conservation plan
• Location priorities • Important Bird Area, WHSRN Site • Immediate, significant threat
• Factors limiting target populations • Knowledge gaps • Scoring criteria
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Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
Read the Scoring Criteria!
Q1. Does the project address Neotropical Migratory Birds (NMBs) identified as a
conservation priority by a government agency or bird conservation initiative? 5 Q2. Does the project satisfy other important national or local conservation objectives, in addition to NMB conservation? For research and monitoring, are new and innovative technologies or techniques being tested or deployed? Is the research and monitoring beneficial to other suites of species or will it improve understanding of the ecosystem and its management? 2 Q3. Is the project located in important breeding or nonbreeding areas for Neotropical Migratory Birds or does the project further our knowledge of these sites? Q4. Are natural resources (i.e., habitat or species) in the project area under immediate and significant threat? For research and monitoring, does the lack of knowledge pose a significant threat to conservation of the species? Q5. Will the project contribute to a direct or indirect benefit to this population of NMB? How important is this benefit? Does this benefit apply locally, regionally, or population-wide? 10 Q6. Does the project contribute to achieving goals and objectives of an international bird conservation plan? 3
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Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
More Competitive Proposals
Q8. How will conservation activities continue after the project is completed? Is the project sustainable?
Example: After land acquisition, NMB habitat will be managed for conservation as part of a private reserve network that has a dedicated endowment fund for management. 4
Q9. Does the proposal represent a partnership among public, private and/or other organizations with appropriate local involvement?
Example: The local community is engaged in the proposal development and integrally involved in the delivery of project activities. The appropriate governmental agencies support the project and are committed to participate in the project or use project results to improve their resource management. 5
Scoring criteria, examples
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Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
More Competitive Proposals Realistic, specific, concrete, relevant
• Activities directly benefit a bird population • Clearly explain how actions most appropriately
address threats • Measurable outcomes, not just outputs • Detailed short/long-term evaluation plan • Local key personnel • Engage local communities • Protect or restore highly threatened habitat • Grant- and match-funded activities are integrated • Government agency endorsement • Low $: administration, travel, coordination salaries
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Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
Calidris
More Competitive Proposals Complementing others’ priorities
• Outputs support decision makers, management authorities
• Support local NGOs • Locations important for endemic
species • Making agricultural landscapes
“friendly” for birds • Regional partnerships
• Southern Cone Grasslands Alliance, Alliance for the Conservation of Meso-American Pine-Oak Forest, Chihuahuan Desert Grassland Conservation Regional Alliance
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Southern Paraguay grasslands. Image by: Andrea Grosse
Complementing Others Tourist dollars
Training, outreach
Local government mandates
Priority ecosystems
Endangered endemics
Capacity-building
Parks, protected
areas
Farms, ranches
NMBCA projects
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Migratory Bird Program - Conserving America’s Birds
Project Examples
• NABCI All Bird Bulletin • http://www.nabci-us.org/bulletin/bulletinspring14.pdf
• Eco-Index • search for “NMBCA” • http://www.eco-index.org
• FWS website • https://www.fws.gov/birds/grants/neotropical-migratory-bird-
conservation-act.php
• FWS Facebook • http://www.facebook.com/usfwsmigratorybirds
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Program Conserving America’s Birds
www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/dmbmdbhc.html USFWS_MigratoryBirds @USFWSBirds
Thank you! Andrea Grosse and Guy Foulks [email protected] 1.703-358-1784
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